The Exchange

                                                           The Exchange

 

 

                                       

 

 

                                          "Give what you wish to receive."

 

 

 

 

 

   It is not without meaning and significance that the core of our economic system is called the “exchange,” as in stock exchange. The word exchange has multiple levels and connotations. As I've written about earlier, the evolution of science has been one of exchange, as in the relationships between two or more aspects of energy, matter, space, or time. This has been coupled with; forces, fields, instruments, skills, models, and philosophies. In many ways, science is coming around to it's origins of a natural philosophy, which is to say a deep investigation into the nature of Nature. Modern science, medicine, research, robotics, computer programmers, socio/evolutionary/ecological psychology, engineering, as well as the arts, politics, education and religion all have had to include consciousness as part and parcel to what they do. No one has been able to clearly define, or even describe what consciousness is exactly, but it's had to be included across the board!

 

 

Human life always involves exchange, no one moves or does anything without some impulse, conscious, or unconscious, of a need to exchange something. We get out of bed because we expect to give and receive something from the day, we speak, drive, eat, go to college, etc. all because we are motivated by some level of give and receive exchange likely to happen. Even the ultimate acts of negative exchange such as violence in all it's myriad forms, has a level of; intention that something will be gained in the exchange, even in circumstances of suicide. I am writing this blog, you are reading this blog because we both want something out of it, and we feel like we have something to contribute. People that have no interest in contributing are called sociopaths, they are just interested in "what's in it for me?"
 

So let's consider this exchange idea in terms of human transactions. There is an early field of psychology known as transactional analysis, books associated included the best sellers “I'm OK, you're OK.” and “Games People Play.” The ideas were that each interaction humans have is always a transaction, a give and receive, dynamic played between two or more, with rules, norms, and violations or unconscious scripts.

Most people are running scripts that have been literally programmed into their software from very early. We have data banks, retrieval relays, triggers, buttons, and automatic cause and effect, associations, and reflexes of feelings, thoughts, words, and actions. This is what's called an ego, personality, or persona. This persona. serves us well in life navigation, (up to a point, and then things go all to hell!) particularly social exchanges. Anyone who observes primates, or pretty much any life forms, observes there is a constant exchange happening between all objects within any given environment.

The field of ethology is the study of animal behavior, usually with a focus on behavior under natural conditions, and viewing behavior as an evolutionarily adaptive trait. But ethology is not just how animals behave, it is also a field, (if one is any good at it) of the internal subjectivity of the animal in their environment, for as Darwin made crystal clear, mammals are emotional and social in their environments and social structures. Temple Grandin is a scientist that has specialized in understanding animals feelings, and she is highly sought after in many fields for her knowledge and skills. She has designed more humane ways of slaughtering animals at meat packing plants, which sounds very strange that someone who is able to commune with animals on that level, would be instrumental to helping to lead them to a more efficient and "comfortable" way to die. But I guess that's what Dr. Korvorkian was doing, as well as good vets that are tuned into how to euthanize an animal.

I would describe her abilities along the lines of Jane Goodal, or any person that has genuinely sought inter-species understanding and respectful exchanges, interactions and loving relationships. Temple is able to take the perspective of an animal and imagine herself in the animal's skin so to speak. This ability to take the perspective of another is the cornerstone of compassion, understanding, communication, and healthy exchange. Remember, I've written about the ability to take other perspectives is an important gauge of enlightening awareness and mastery. Ironically, one also comes to better understand ourselves and our kind better by understanding others. Incidentally, a Shamanic trance and journey is often one of inhabiting the animal body/mind/soul of another species and bringing something back from the exchange that bestows healing or guidance.

The amazing thing about animals in nature is, they are quite well suited to their environments, this is another understanding that Darwin's genius gave us. Man has been the only species that has ever existed that has been creating more and more disharmony between himself and his environment, even to the point of possible extinction! This has been in large part due to poor, disrespectful, and unconscious exchanges between himself and his environment, or even with his fellow human beings.

So, let's pay better attention to our exchanges, be nice and thoughtful to the dog (she'll appreciate it!), smile and speak to others, be kind and fluid with yourself (don't be so serious, seriously!), look into your own magic mirror and ask to have a respectful exchange with yourself, study your dreams, and love one another. This was the foremost commandment of Christ and all enlightened spiritual masters.